Horseback Riding in the Vinales Valley, Cuba

Viñales is known for its tobacco farming, lush valleys, earthy red soil, and limestone rock formations. While colourful casas and lively restaurants line the streets of downtown, the highlight for sure is the landscape.

I was raring to get out and explore the Viñales Valley, and I decided there would be no better way than to hop over the saddle and do it by horseback.

The only thing was I’d never actually been horseback riding before. With this in mind, should my first attempt last 4 whole hours? I wasn’t convinced.

Would I even last two minutes? Where was the nearest hospital if I fell off and paralysed myself?

Despite my initial hesitations, I wouldn’t let such a thing as first-time nerves stop me from doing something I actually really wanted to do.

I gave myself a little prep talk, and it wasn’t long before I swung my leg over the saddle and prayed to the high heavens that my horse would go easy on me.

The journey through the national park

After getting settled in my saddle and becoming used to the rhythm of the horse I was able to enjoy my surroundings.

As we entered the park, a series of tall, rounded hills rose abruptly from the flat plain, and the valley began to emerge before us. Less than a few minutes later we were riding past dramatic rocky outcrops and rows of tobacco farms. Any nerves I had initially were washed away by the thrilling views.

The beauty of the land and the slow pace of life makes it easy to romanticise things, but work here is hard. A lack of fancy agricultural equipment means that most farmers harvest the land by man, ox, and horsepower.

The valley is void of the rumble of commercial machinery, providing visitors with an idea of what old-school farming methods are like.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site & Geopark

Viñales was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 due to its stunning landscapes and cultural importance. The Viñales Valley is known for its distinctive mogotes, which are limestone hills that have been formed over 160 million years, creating a unique karst landscape.

The region’s tobacco plantations, which produce some of the world’s finest cigars, continue to use traditional agricultural methods that have been preserved for centuries.

Furthermore, in 2021, Viñales was also recognized as Cuba’s first Geopark, highlighting both its rich geological heritage and commitment to sustainable tourism.

Cigar rolling like a pro (or not)

Next up we stopped at a cigar drying house. A man explained to us how cigars are made and showed us how they are rolled.

I couldn’t tell you what I learnt as my attempts were shocking. Truly, a blind man rolling them between his toes would have done a better job than me.

How is it that rolling looks so easy, but when I tried I just couldn’t get the knack of it? Though I did have a fun attempt smoking one that ended by my coughing everywhere.

A friend I made on the trip, however, managed the look down to a tee. She was a pro at the cigar game.

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Our journey through the Viñales Valley wasn’t all plain sailing. The night before it had been raining heavily. Not enough time had passed for the sun to dry out certain areas that had been particularly affected.

Some of the paths were flooded and I worried about how the horses would get through, but they showed no trepidation. Clearly, they were used to the area and had trodden these paths hundreds of times in various conditions.

One of my favourite moments came as my horse waded through quite a deep puddle and all of a sudden a huge pig sprung out from beneath it completely covered in mud.

We had accidentally interrupted it whilst it was having a merry, old mud bath! And all I could do was laugh at the sight of its stark naked bottom darting off into the distance like something out of a kid’s cartoon.

Not so hard after all…

As it turns out, I didn’t find horseback riding half as difficult and precarious as I imagined it would be. In fact, at times, the slight rocking movement and the repetitive sound of the hoofs clopping across the soil made the experience surprisingly therapeutic.

I’d definitely do it all over again.

How to book horse riding in Viñales

I booked my horse riding session directly through the casa I stay at in Viñales. However, you can also book directly with Riding Vinales. They offer pick ups from multiple locations and can tailor tours to suit your needs.

Further reading: How to spend two weeks in Cuba – travel itinerary

Have you done horseback riding before?